Wire-clamp.



T. E. MADDEN.

WIRE CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 26. I916.

1,213,669, Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

TEMF-aiden warren eras arnr anion.

TIMOTHY E. MADDEN, OF EDEN VALLEY, MINNESOTA.

NIKE-CLAMP.

Application filed September 26, 116.

- .a clamp of this character which may be easily and quickly applied to a wire fence so that pull may be applied thereto and the fencing wire stretched.

A further object of my invention is the provision of a pair of clamping boards provided wlth cam actuated'levers which will serve to clamp the boards firmly to the fence wire during the stretching action, and one which may be easily and quickly applied to or removed from a wire fence without the necessity of removing or replacing taps, nuts, bolts, or the like.

'A further object of this invention is to provide a simple and practical and compara- 1 tively inexpensive structure of this character, and one that can be manufactured and sold at a small cost.

1V ith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of my improved fence wire clamp as- 1. made in accordance with thls invention, Fig.

2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view of the same, Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view, Fig. 4 is a fragmentary view on the inner face of one of the clamping boards, illustrating the serrated or roughened surface, and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 1.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the upper clamping board, and 2 designates the lower clamping board, and the boards are constructed of wood or any other suitable material and are preferably rectangular in Specification-of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 23, 1917.

Serial No. 122,219.

cross section. The upper and lower clamping boards 1 and 2 respectively have their opposing faces serrated or roughened as at 3 so as to provide gripping surfaces which will effectively grip fence wire placed between the opposing faces of the boards, and any slipping of the wire therefrom will be obviated. The boards 1 and 2 are held in close proximity to one another by a plurality of clamping levers designated in their entirety as at 6. The levers 6 comprisein their construction the handles 7, each of said handles having a pair of cam lugs or heads 8 at one end thereof. The heads or lugs 8 are 7 spaced apart and are adapted to be arranged on opposite sides of supporting blocks 9, which blocks are secured to the outer face of the upper board 1 at relatively spaced distances apart. The blocks 9 are rigidly secured to the upper face of the board 1 and located centrally of the longitudinal side edges thereof. Each of the blocks 9 is provided with a vertical slot 10,

the purpose of which will be hereinafter 80 more fully set forth. The blocks 9 are preferably rectangular in cross section and are secured at each end of the board and one near the center thereof, the medial block being located off the center of the upper board 1.

An operating pin 11 is arranged transversely through the slot of each of the blocks 9 and has its opposite end extending beyond.

the opposite side faces of the blocks 9. The 90 free end of the pin 11 is journaled through the cams or heads 8 of the handles 7 as at 12 and permits the levers 6 to be moved up and down thereupon for drawing the boards 1 and 2 toward or away from one another.

The levers 6 are adapted to be forced downwardly and have their cam portlons working against the outer face of the upper board 1, the purpose of which w1ll be more fully hereinafter set forth.

The upper board 1 is provided on its opposite longitudinal side edges at spaced dis tances apart with a plurality of guides 14, the purpose of which will be here1nafter more fully described. The guides 14: are substantially U-shaped and have the ends of their legs bent outwardly in opposlte d1- rections to provide attaching members 15, which attaching members are provided with openings 16, through which extendfastening elements 17 for rigldly securlng the guides to the opposite longitudlnal side.

edges of the upper board 1. The guides are located in direct alinement with the blocks 9 so as to permit a plurality of supporting bars 18 to have one of their ends secured to the opposite ends of the pins 11, which are arranged transversely through the blocks 9. The supporting bars 18 have their upper ends journaled to the opposite ends of the pins 11 to permit the handle members to be operated to force the boards 1 and 2 toward one another and firmly clamp the fence wire between the serrated faces of the said boards. The lower ends of the supporting bars 18 extend downwardly through the guides 14: and have their extreme ends bent inwardly toward one another to provide supporting arms 19, which engage the under face of the lower board 2 and support the same in close proximity to the upper board 1.

The intermediate or medial handle 7 is located just beyond the center of the board 1 so as to permit a clevis 20 to be secured to the boards 1 and 2 so that when it is de' sired to apply pressure against the wire clamped between the boards 1 and 2, -the same may be easily and quickly applied to the clevis and the wire thoroughly and effectively stretched.

In operation, the levers 6 are raised and the lower board is moved from the supporting arms, and the fence wire is then positioned between the two boards and the supporting arms are again positioned about the lower boards and the levers moved to their normal position, forcing the upper and lower boards toward one another and firmly clamping the fence Wire therebetween.

What is claimed is:

1. A device of the class described comprising an upper and lower clamping board, guides arranged on the opposite longitudinal .side edges of the upper clamping board,

slotted blocks carried by the outer face of the upper clamping board, cam levers journaled through the slots of said blocks, sup

porting bars journaled in the levers, the lower ends of said arms bent angularly and embracing the lower clamping board, whereupon by downward movement of the levers, the boards will be drawn into close proximity to one another.

Games of this patent may be obtained for 7 arranged on the outer face of one of said boards at spaced distances apart, guides arranged on the opposite longitudinal edges of one of said boards and in alinement with said blocks, pins arranged transversely through the slots of said blocks, levers journaled to the pins on opposite sides of the blocks, supporting bars having one of their ends secured to the opposite ends of the pins, their lower ends extending through the guides, the extreme lower ends of said bars being bent angularly in the direction of one another and embracing the cooperating clamping board, whereby upon movement of said levers, the boards will be drawn into close proximity to one another.

3. A device of the class described comprising an upper and lower clamping board, the opposing faces of said boards being serrated, a plurality of blocks arranged on the outer face of the upper board at spaced distances apart, said blocks provided with vertical slots, pins arranged transversely through the slots and extending beyond the opposite side faces of the blocks, levers, said levers having cam-shaped heads, said heads arranged on opposite sides of the blocks and journaled to the ends of the pins, supporting bars, the upper ends of said supporting bars journaled to the opposite ends of the pins on the outer faces of the levers, the lower ends of said bars being bent angularly in the direction of one another and embracing the outer face of the lower board, guides, said guides arranged on the opposite longitudinal side edges of the upper board at spaced distances apart, said supporting bars extending through said guides, whereby upon downward movement of the levers, the boards will be drawn into close proximity to one another.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

TIMOTHY E. MADDEN.

Witnesses:

A. J. STAUNToN, J. MARTIN.

Washington, D. O. 

